business climate

The abolition of the dividend tax will definitely not happen, Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced after a coalition meeting on Monday evening. The government and the coalition parties reconsidered and decided to definitively reverse the most controversial measure in the government agreement. "The fact is that support for this measure was limited", Rutte said after the meeting, NU.nl reports.

Last year there were 339 foreign investments in the Netherlands, compared to 409 in 2016, according to the Barometer on Dutch Investment Climate by accountancy and consultancy firm EY. These investments created over 8,500 jobs last year, ANP reports.

With 152 foreign investment projects, Amsterdam accounted for 45 percent of all foreign investments in the Netherlands, compared to 40 percent in 2016. The Hague and Rotterdam both counted 42 projects with foreign donors last year.

Business confidence in the Netherlands is at the same level now as at the beginning of the previous quarter, reports Statistics Netherlands. It is remaining positive for the sixth consecutive quarter. Confidence further increased in trade and construction.